***********************************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (January 24):
Question:
I have learnt that the project for the demolition of the clock tower of the old Star Ferry Pier in Central commenced in the afternoon of 12 December 2006. In the demolition process, workers worked day and night, and used heavy equipment such as large excavators and derricks to lift the entire top part of the clock tower, which was transferred to the barge berthed at the Pier and then shipped away. The whole project was completed within five days. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the method and equipment used and the timetable for the above project, and whether they are the requirements stipulated in the tender documents of the project and have been agreed by the contractor; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for switching to the above demolition method, and whether the Government has to bear additional costs, including the costs for having the demolition works carried out at night; if so, of the amount involved;
(b) given that contractors are required to apply for Construction Noise Permits from the Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") for using powered mechanical equipment ("PME") at night, of the date on which EPD received the relevant permit application, when and by whom as well as for what justifications the permit was issued, and whether EPD had deployed staff to monitor the contractor's compliance with the requirements in the permit, including the types of PME to be used, as well as the hours and conditions for using such equipment; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) as it has been reported that at the meeting of the Panel on Planning, Lands and Works on 18 December 2006, an official of the Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau said that the construction waste concerned had been disposed of at a landfill, of the name of the landfill where such construction waste was disposed of, and why the authorities did not treat such waste as inert waste and deliver them to fill reception facilities?
Reply:
Madam President,
In April 2000, the Finance Committee (FC) of the Legislative Council, on the recommendation of the Public Works Subcommittee (PWSC), approved funding for implementing the detailed design for the Central Reclamation Phase III (CRIII). In June 2002, the FC approved funding for the implementation of the CRIII works. The old Star Ferry Pier was featured in CRIII and affected by the Road P2 network as well as some underground works including the Airport Railway Extended Overrun Tunnel and the drainage box culvert.
My reply to the three-part question is as follows:
(a) Upon the commissioning of the new Star Ferry Pier in Central on 12 November 2006, the contractor started the advance works for the demolition of the old Star Ferry Pier, including the erection of hoardings and safety nets, and the dismantling the Ferry Company's properties and machinery for the latter to ship away. On 12 December, the contractor dismantled the clock faces, the chimes and its mechanical parts. The structure of the clock tower was damaged during the demolition and the contractor, for safety reasons, needed to demolish the clock tower quickly and accordingly demolished the clock tower by cutting it into parts.
As mentioned in the discussion paper submitted to PWSC for funding approval, the cost relating to the reprovisioned ferry piers and public piers (including the demolition of the clock tower of the old Star Ferry Pier in Central) was about $440 million. The costs incurred will be paid in accordance with the contractual terms.
(b) Under the Noise Control Ordinance (Cap. 400), any person who at any place between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on the following day, or at any time on a general holiday, uses, or causes or permits to be used, any powered mechanical equipment for the purpose of carrying out any construction work other than percussive piling shall hold a valid Construction Noise Permit for the use of such equipment.
Upon the receipt of an application for a Construction Noise Permit from the contractor for the demolition of the Star Ferry Pier on 15 December, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) considered the application in accordance with the above requirement under the Noise Control Ordinance. Having considered that the noise level to be produced by the powered mechanical equipment employed by the contractor at night would not exceed the statutory requirement, the EPD approved the application on the same day.
Generally speaking, the time for approving applications for Construction Noise Permits varies, depending on whether contractors have submitted all the information required, the complexity of the project involved, the environmental factors etc. Given that the contractor concerned had already discussed with the EPD the details of the works, the EPD could, at the contractor's request for speedy processing, approve the application for a Construction Noise Permit on the same day.
On the night when the works took place, the EPD deployed staff to monitor the situation. The EPD staff did not observe any noise nuisance caused by the works in the surrounding noise sensitive receivers.
(c) In accordance with the terms of the contract, the contractor delivered the dismantled parts of the clock tower to a fill bank. This is in line with the usual practice of disposing of inert waste.
We understand the nostalgic feeling attached to the clock tower. We have retained the clock faces, the chimes and the mechanical parts of the Star Ferry clock tower. We will rebuild the clock tower and reassemble the chimes at an appropriate location. The Planning Department will, in its Central Reclamation Urban Design Study which will be commenced shortly, consider the location for the new clock tower and its design ideas. This Study will include extensive public engagement activities.
Ends/Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:23
NNNN